From Tellius to Tortall: A Creation Myth
by spygirly
Summary: Only read if you've played PoR, RD, and read Tamora Pierce's Tortall Universe books. Tellius evolves into Tortall; Daein becomes Scanra, Kilvas becomes Kyprish Isles, laguz descendants are wildmages. Ultimately, Ike's world becomes Alanna's & Daine's.


_This "story" is just a little one-shot, kind of silly really. I just spewed it out. Technically this is a "Every Single Tamora Pierce Book Having To Do With Tortall's Universe/post-RD" crossover, but I had to choose just one of Tammy Pierce's book series for the crossover part. _

_To be honest I'm not taking this fic too seriously. (I haven't beaten RD, fyi. There's these things called spoilers, though.) _

_This is sort of a creation-evolution myth. My idea is that Tellius and Tammy Pierce's world of Tortall have some geographical similarities, so maybe they're the same place, only in a different time . . . . dunh nuh nuhhh . . . . Anyway you get to see how Tellius became Tortall, how the new gods were formed, and the original creation of the Dominion Jewel! Plus exactly how much the gods invested into Alanna. Read on if you will (which you should only do if you've read all of the Tortall books, 'cause none of the references I made to them will make sense otherwise); _

When Ashunera returned to Tellius, she did not come alone; Father Universe was her companion.

With a slight frown in her red eyes, Ashunera considered how her creations had changed. The very fabric of the land was altered. What had once been the country known as "Daein" had changed; true, it was still cold and snowy, but it seemed as though additions had been made—to the northwest, there was a whole new set of islands. They whispered their new name to her; "Yamani."

It was too much. "Chitral," Ashunera whispered. "Speak to me, heart of the land."

"Goddess of Dawn," he replied. "You have returned, after all these millennia."

Ashunera gave an almost rueful smile. "I forget how mortals, even the bones of the earth can change. Tell me, what has become of my creations?"

Chitral seemed to sigh. "The deserts and the sea whisper to me how new peoples walk among them. The laguz of old are no longer the same; open your heart to the land's magic."

Ashunera did so; it was copper, tasting of animals.

"That copper flame—that is all that is left of the old laguz ability," Chitral told her. "Some of the people, known as the Bazhir and the K'miri and Doi—they embrace it, tap into it, but they forget its original meaning."

Ashunera shook her head. "No laguz at all? How can I fathom this?" Then she sighed deeply. "Tell me all, Chitral."

"Where I lie, the Roof of the World it is now called, you will remember as Daein. Now it is known as 'Scanra'—a barbarous place, inhabited mostly by raiders and pirates. You could say they have not changed much. But to the northwest—a new people have been born there, the 'Yamanis.' But they do not forget you, Goddess of Dawn, though they know you as your emotional self, Yune. They revere flame and sun."

Ashunera winced, so Chitral continued. "And the Desert of Death? It has changed so completely you can not fathom. The sand turned moist, the rain fell, and where there was endless scorching heat and a sea of sand there is fertile earth. Crops grow there, humans quarrel over the good land. They call themselves Tortallans, Barzunis, Marenites, Tusaines."

"No desert at all, Chitral?"

"There is—but a new one. See the Bazhir wander over their motherland."

Ashunera looked to the south seas with distaste. "What has become of the bird tribes?"

Chitral laughed. "Oh, they are there—more foolish than you can imagine, but still. The crows spend all their days in shifted form, forever black birds. They choose not to walk on two legs. And the rest? They shed their feathers when they hatched from Dawn's eggs."

Ashunera sighed. "There is much for me to consider, Chitral." She left to the Universe's welcoming arms, and spent the night there.

"I need more children, whom I can understand," Ashunera whispered. "I have been apart from my original creations too long."

"I will help you, dear one," Father Universe whispered. "Our children will be greater than those mortals."

Ashunera slept, and when she awoke, there was hers and Crozun's first child—a long, green snake with tightly closed eyes.

"I name thee Kidunka," Ashunera whispered.

Kidunka turned towards her, opened his eyes for the first time, and the first thing he saw was his mother's orange-haired glory, like the sun itself. "Mother Flame," he replied. And it was by this name that Ashunera would be known forever.

More children came—Mithros, a daughter with no name, Shakith, Meinoss, the Horse Lords, Uusoae, Jaguar Goddess, and countless others.

"These are all parents for the humans," Father Universe commented. "Let the animals have their deities." So the animal gods came, and then Kyprioth, who had a special home in the south seas and isles. He was the trickery and cleverness of the raven laguz of old.

Mother Flame looked at her children with pride, but she realized something else. "They are all good children," she commented. "But the mortals—they need something of their own, to know that I, their mother, have not forgotten them."

"They should have their own magic," Father Universe said softly.

Mother Flame smiled at the idea. "So be it." She held out a radiant hand, and so took the color of the humans' hair and eyes, so only the plainer ones like yellow and brown and black remained. With the rest, she lit into beautiful flames. "My Gift to you," she whispered, blowing the thousands of sparks onto the people. Those who embraced it became the first real sorcerers who could use their magic craft for both good and bad, those who possess the magical Gift.

The Horse Lord rebuked his mother. "You have given a gift to these people reminiscent of the old beorc, but do not let them forget the laguz completely," he pleaded.

"Let them feel their bodies shift and change, as the laguz did," Mother Flame agreed. She reached into the woven tapestry that was the magic of the land, and took some copper threads, gently weaving them into the hearts of a few selected mortals. She was grateful to the Horse Lords for suggesting this gift, so the "Wild Magic" manifested itself most often in that form.(1)

Father Universe and Mother Flame looked admiringly at their work, but then something pulled at her fiery heartstrings. She loved her new children dearly, and had given great gifts to the old, but the old would always be at the mercy of the new.

And what would happen to them all when she was not there to watch over them? They needed rulers, she decided. Order, and justice.

"Hear me now," she commanded. "You all need a ruler. Mithros, come." She placed a golden disk on his head. "You have always loved the sun, the flames, as you have loved me. For this I name you king of my children." Then she beckoned to her eldest daughter. "My Daughter With No Name, you will be first in the hearts of the mortals." Thus the Great Mother Goddess was recognized.

Mother Flame turned to the rest of her children. "Rule wisely over the mortals, but _do not interfere greatly with their lives_," she warned them. "They must struggle and learn themselves, for they are a different generation than you."

"How will they manage themselves, Mother?" Mithros demanded. "How will justice prevail, how will they keep themselves from slipping into Chaos, like your daughter Uusoae?" His sister hissed with pleasure at that idea.

In answer, Mother Flame plucked a rock from the earth, and formed two objects from it; one, she carved a nameless, sexless face into. Father Universe breathed life into it. "You will test mortals, called knights, who will defend the weak," she told it, placing it into a special room that was later known as the Chamber of the Ordeal.

With what was left of the rock, she forged a sword, and placed it deep into a special vault. (2) "For future heroes to wield," she explained.

"That is all well and good, but how will they rule themselves?" the Great Mother Goddess demanded.

Mother Flame was growing weary, but she knew where the key in this lay. She knew she needed a token, a gift that would last to aid mortal kings. She searched deep below the earth, where the remains of Sanaki, the first empress of Begnion, rested. A strand of violet hair was left. This she took to Chitral, who had helped her so much.

"Make something beautiful and powerful and terrible, that only a true ruler can wield," she told him, placing the violet hair in his hands. "Something reminiscent of my beloved descendant."

Chitral closed his eyes for inspiration, and crafted the Dominion Jewel. Into it he put the true essence of power and ruling, a fit object for a true king to wield.

Shakith, the goddess of seers, called to Mother Flame. "Mother! I see an ice-hearted mortal named Miache stealing the Jewel. How can you be sure it will truly help mortals?"

Mother Flame let her gaze roam the land, searching for descendants of those strong mortals who had opposed her Ashera half. She remembered in particular another violet-haired girl, named Mia, a myrmidon. She let the scent of Mia's blood guide her, for she knew that Mia's family had had children.

Mother Flame smiled when she saw a place called "Trebond"—Mia's purple locks had not lasted with her descendants, but the lovely violet color was in their eyes, even though their hair blazed copper.

Into these people, Mother Flame blew a kiss into their hearts (she didn't notice Uusoae hiss and send a thread of her own essence(3)). She filled them with purple magic. She brought to life the fire and laughter and bravery and determination of Mia, and she gave them one more thing; Destiny. A heroic destiny that would take them onto a special path.

"My Nameless Daughter, watch over this house," Mother Flame murmured to the Great Mother Goddess.

So this was how Mother Flame, who had been known as the Goddess of Dawn, Ashera, Yune, and Ashunera, gave Tellius, now known by other names, her final gift.

The House of Trebond, and the promise of Alanna.

Meanwhile, a chuckling Kyprioth flew by, and gave the promise of Alanna a gift;

A spark of his own magic, which he placed in the hearts of a Scanran man, a piper whose musical gift would last forever. And Kyprioth blew another magic spark into a man known as Cooper.

Hey, Kyprioth didn't want to leave his own country and people without a fail-safe. He called this creation the "Aly Promise."

_(1) That was a silly idea of mine—haven't you noticed that most of the wild magic mentioned is horsey? The K'miri, Stefan, and Tobe. _

_(2) That's Alanna's sword, Lightning, if you didn't catch on _

_(3) for those of you who have read Bloodhound, you'll recall how Lionel was insane. And how Alanna makes references to "family madness." _

So, yeah. Review if you like. To be honest I'm not expecting a lot of readers—only those who love both Path of Radiance and Tamora Pierce.


End file.
